The changing narrative around becoming an engineer in 2024, an argument for taking a longer and slower journey to becoming a SWE instead of a 12-16 week bootcamp.

The changing narrative around becoming an engineer in 2024, an argument for taking a longer and slower journey to becoming a SWE instead of a 12-16 week bootcamp. Before beginning I want to disclose that these are my personal opinions (I know I post here like all the time and you probably know this, but I have to disclose!) but that I'm the co-founder of mentorship platform that while isn't a bootcamp, does work with a lot of bootcamp grads in their 2nd, 3rd, 4th job transitions. In some ways that might bias me want more people to go to bootcamps and this post talks about taking your time instead, but this post is my personal views on the topic. This is a mini essay I threw together to outline some new thoughts I had. Curious to hear your thoughts. I'm not going anywhere and this is not an anti-bootcamp post. I might post something else making the case for traditional bootcamps too. There are multiple sides to every point of view, and this is just one interesting one I haven't seen discussed yet. # Bootcamp Narratives in 2024 Codesmith, one of the top bootcamps, recently launched a new website profiling alumni and their stories: [https://www.profilesin.tech/](https://www.profilesin.tech/) and is by far the best example of the shifting narrative around bootcamps in 2024 from 'get a six figure job in 12 weeks' to 'become an architect of the future'. Quote: >**The coder fixing code without influencing the product has been consigned to history.‍As software becomes essential to all industries, engineers are now central to building out approaches to the challenges the world faces.‍ Today’s engineers are leaders, responsible for charting a company’s course. They are experts in communication—technical and nontechnical—and they are now ushering in digitization throughout society.**  > >**As COVID changed the healthcare sector, software was developed in response. As the climate changes, code is built to mitigate it. As the global economy faces challenges, engineers are working to stabilise it.**    > >**With technical capability, confidence and autonomy, Codesmith alumni are architects of the future, developing the software used across core industries like healthcare, finance, big tech, and sustainability.** I expect to see more of this. 2023 saw longer and slower placements (we are still waiting for official numbers from more programs). CIRR changed their rules so we haven't even seen H2 2022 results. We should have been expecting H1 2023 results in Feb/March, but now have to wait until July/August. But anyways, the anecdotal evidence is clear, that people are taking longer to place, are getting a wider range of tech-adjacent jobs, and that is impacting the bootcamp industry. Engineers have always been problems solvers, so this shift in narrative is a marketing change and not a change whatsoever in what it means to be an engineer as a result of COVID or the economy. # The Case for a Top Tier Engineering Degree This change to me is a welcome change in intentions that start bridging the gap to a traditional degree. However if the programs don't change and remain 12-16 weeks while advertising these narratives, I would be very cautious. First off, in 12-16 weeks you learn practical skills you could use immediately on the job, and CS degrees teach you academic frameworks about how the world works to have world impact, so they have very different goals. But with the shift in narrative, lines start to blur. This is the description of my undergrad college program - Engineering Science at UofT - **which has existed for over** [**85 years**](https://engsci.utoronto.ca/sample-page/history/)**:** >Our motto in EngSci at U of T is Engineers for the World (E4TW) because our goal is to educate engineers who: seek to solve the world's most critical problems; have compassion for the human condition; want to collaborate with people across multiple disciplines, cultural backgrounds and 'thought perspectives' to achieve a better world; and encourage technological progress that improves life for citizens across the globe. > >... > >Our students thrive in a supportive and close-knit community of exceptional individuals, creating an enriched and unique learning environment. > >We strive to recruit students who are driven to work independently and collaboratively with others, and who are prepared to face the challenges of a rigorous program with **determination and resiliency**. > >EngSci is for students who are excited about **collaborating with diverse classmates** in team environments. We firmly believe that professional success stems from the ability to engage effectively with the differing perspectives of peers, clients, and community stakeholders. This is a college program that is extremely accelerated and intense and still takes four years (under their 2+2 - foundations + expertise) model. So the fact that these programs produce true industry leaders is not a coincidence. It takes years of hard work to gather both the breadth and depth needed to actually impact the world. # The Merging of Bootcamps and CS Degrees? It's nice to see bootcamps shifting to a more long term view of the impact people have as engineers, but it's also delusional to think that a 12-16 week program could compare to something like the Engineering Science program (which is equally intense but for 4 years). If more bootcamps shift their views like this, I would expect much longer bootcamp programs that blur the lines with CS degrees. It's going to take years for this kind of transition to happen. I'm all for great marketing, but a typical bootcamp has been around for 5 to 10 years, and these colleges have been around for hundreds. It's going to take a long time and a lot of changes for graduates to become industry leaders (most industry leaders I know took a decade or two to become them) and watch out for bootcamps advertising that you can become one in 12-16 weeks. Longer term, I'm more excited to see how bootcamps evolve and I think there is tremendous room for innovation in the space between a 12 week bootcamp and a 4 year college degree. If you are looking to get a job fast though and want to do a bootcamp in this market with no past experience, I would look for programs with strong industry partnerships and pathways to entry level jobs, like apprenticeships and internships.

I only know a handful of graduates and I know a lot more people who are starting it or doing it. I don't know if I would say it "adequately prepares" you for THIS job market, but I think it's a good option to consider as a step along the journey to get a reliable CS base. Like content wise, if it's accredited then presumably it covers enough raw topics. The challenge is for CS degree grads right now, internship experience is key to 1. converting to full time, 2. having experience on your resume. So if you do WGU without internships, you'll still have a hard time getting a job. BUT for the cost, and given it's backing, it's fairly affordable and reliable way to cover a lot of CS basics. Sorry this isn't a definitive answer. I don't have a lot of answers, just my 2 cents observations and opinions.

Yeah :(. I work with a few Canadians and I'm from Canada originally, and it's just as tough there as here, no shortcuts, but if you want to be an engineer, just keep writing code every day and eventually you'll get there... the case for a super intense short bootcamp though is harder to make.